


A Grudge Not Held: An Anthology

by SimplyChristian



Series: A Grudge Not Held [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anthology, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Humor, For Want of a Nail, Gen, Morality Chain, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Romance, Sadistic Gin, Sexual Harrassment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:42:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26970835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplyChristian/pseuds/SimplyChristian
Summary: A collection of one-shots set in the same timeline as "A Grudge Not Held."
Relationships: Ichimaru Gin/Matsumoto Rangiku
Series: A Grudge Not Held [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1918528
Kudos: 15





	1. Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A evening out celebrating Gin’s promotion to lieutenant turns into a defining moment in his and Rangiku’s life.

**Originally published on Fanfiction.net: 11/27/2014**

* * *

“Why aren’t you wearing your lieutenant’s badge?” Rangiku asked Gin as they sat at their table in the crowded bar.

“Forgot to put it on,” he shrugged in reply.

“It kind of defeats the purpose of celebrating your promotion if you don’t have the proof with you,” she teased him.

“Eh, it don’t really matter anyway; it ain’t required ‘cept at the meetings. I don’t need it to drink with ya.”

She reclined back in her seat with a mischievous smirk. “Well, you better prove it by getting me some sake.”

“Sure thin’,” Gin agreed as he got up to fetch their beverages.

Rangiku waited patiently for her friend to return, absorbed in twirling the pickled vegetable dish before her.

“Hey, there, beautiful.”

She glanced disinterestedly at the guy who had just helped himself to the seat next to her. He was a plain-looking man with dark hair cut close to his scalp and small curly sideburns running a little bit in front of his ears. His features were average, not too handsome, but not particularly hideous either. His most outstanding attribute was the cocky, arrogant grin on his lips that probably encapsulated his personality.

“Can I get you a drink?” he offered.

“I’ve already got someone attending to that,” she gave a polite smile in return.

“I’m sure I can provide you something of finer quality.” Not at all fazed by her subtle denial, he pulled out a jug of sake. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you?”

“Quite,” she answered brusquely. She might have been gentler in turning down his advances, had there not been a distinctive leer in his eyes that told her he was only interested in one thing from her, and he seemed rather determined to get it.

As if to prove the aforementioned point, he placed his jug on the table in front of her in spite of her refusal.

“The name’s Sato Tarō,” he said confidently. “The Thirteenth Seat of the Fifth Division.”

“That’s nice,” Rangiku replied in a manner that clearly stated her lack of interest, and pointedly did not even glance at the offering of sake he had given her.

“Aren’t you going to grace me with your name?”

“Since you’ll be leaving in a moment, no.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he smirked. “The company’s fine right where I’m sitting.”

“I wish I could say the same.” With that she deliberately pushed over his jar, allowing it to wobble all over the table.

“You’ve got spunk; I like that,” Tarō chuckled without batting an eyelash.

“Didja make a new friend, Rangiku?”

Rangiku smiled in relief as she saw her companion arrive with their liquor.

“Rangiku, what a beautiful name,” Tarō complimented her, and then amiably asked Gin, “And who might you be, kiddo?”

“The name’s Gin,” he replied. “You?”

“Sato Tarō,” the man introduced himself again.

“Pleased to meet ya,” the prodigy said.

“Likewise,” Tarō returned. “I don’t want to sound rude, but would you mind giving Ran-chan and I some privacy?”

“ _Don’t_ call me ‘Ran-chan’,” Rangiku snapped at him.

“Okay, sorry,” the womanizer raised his hands defensively. “I didn’t mean to make you mad. What nickname would you prefer?”

“Matsumoto-san,” the girl answered coldly.

“No need to be so formal,” Tarō chuckled. “We’re all friends here.”

“Gin is my friend,” Rangiku replied snippily, her patience quickly running out. “ _You_ are an annoyance. Go away.”

“He’s been botherin’ ya?” Gin asked.

“I just want to spend some time with a beautiful girl,” Tarō spoke in his defense. “Is that a crime?”

“It is when you’re harassing her,” Rangiku said.

“I’m not harassing you,” the annoyance protested. “I’m simply talking.”

“And refusing to leave when I ask you.”

“See, this is what it looks like when girls play hard to get,” Tarō advised in a mock whisper to Gin. “When they get like this, the only thing you can do is try harder.”

“I’m only going to say this once, buster,” Rangiku growled. “When a girl says, ‘no,’ she _means_ ‘no.’”

“They only say that to save face,” said the man who was now getting an upgrade from “Annoyance” to “Creep.” “Trust me, by the end of the night, they’re always enjoying themselves.”

That was the final straw.

Rangiku grabbed Sato by the shihakusho and proceeded to drag him out of the establishment. The creep put up no resistance, laughing in amusement like it was all part of the game. Gin smirked at the sight; he knew what was going to come next. Picking up his jar of sake, the impish teenager followed his friend out the door and prepared to watch the spectacle. While it was tempting to abscond with Tarō’s sake, he did not because there was a good chance it was drugged with something intended to make his victim feel more… cooperative.

Illuminated by the full moon, Gin observed with amusement how Rangiku violently released her unwanted suitor’s uniform in the middle of the street to spin around. "Oh-ho!" Sato smirked. "You want to go at it right…?"

This was as far as he got before the beautiful blonde delivered a solid punch to his face. Years spent learning how to fend off overly amorous men and tips from Gin meant that she was well-trained in hand-to-hand combat. Her fist struck at the dead center of Sato’s face, and all could tell by the sound that it was now broken.

Sato staggered back with a curse. “You little b-!” This was cut off by a follow-up strike to his solar plexus, causing him to double over. Rangiku concluded her chastisement by chopping her hands down on his lowered shoulders and sending him to the ground. Satisfied that he was down, she turned around and walked towards Gin.

But lover boy was not done yet. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, and glared at Rangiku’s back, his friendly façade completely gone. Predicting what was going to happen next, Gin pointed behind her. It was all the warning she needed.

Sato wordlessly charged forward in hopes of catching her off-guard, but Rangiku managed to sidestep the assault and deliver a swift kick to his ribs. Knocked off-balance, her not-so-friendly suitor fell to the ground again. He rose, this time quicker, and gave Rangiku a positively withering glare. Neither she nor Gin was impressed.

Suddenly, their new playmate ducked past them and ran back into the building.

“Somehow, I doubt he’s given up,” Gin commented.

“Me neither,” Rangiku agreed. “Come on, let’s go before he comes back.”

Before they could act on her words, Sato returned, this time with two other men. One was about the same height and bald, while the other one looked a head taller and had dark hair with bangs that framed either side of his forehead. Interestingly enough, Sato was standing to the side of the tall man, indicating that this new guy in the middle was the leader of this little clique. All three of them ignored Gin and focused their attention on Rangiku.

“She may look like a pretty little thing, but she’s also a feisty one,” the lounge lizard informed his pals.

“I can’t believe you need back-up for this girl,” the bald one sneered.

“Hey, she’s tougher than she looks,” Sato said a little defensively. “Besides, this way we can all share her.”

“ _Excuse_ me,” Rangiku glared at the three men, her ire rising not only at what they planned to do to her, but also at the casual manner Sato suggested they “share” her; it implied this was not their first time ganging up on a girl.

Gin, for his part, had quietly set the sake jar down, and prepared to intervene if necessary. He was quite willing to let his friend handle things by herself if she could, but the moment it looked like she was out of her depth, he would _eagerly_ help out.

“Listen, _Ran-chan_ ,” Sato said. “I tried to be nice and give you a chance for both of us to have fun tonight, but I guess you’re one of those types who like doing it the hard way.”

“Fine by me,” Baldy grinned as he cracked his knuckles. “I like the hard way.”

“I think you’d all better leave,” Rangiku warned them as she assumed a standard combat stance. She had to admit no small part of her _wanted_ them to stay so she could beat a lesson about respecting women into their heads.

“And I think you should shut up and learn your place,” the leader growled. “I am Tanaka Ichirō, Third Seat of the Fifth Division, and I’m giving you one chance to stand down and accept what you’ve got coming to you.”

“As _lieutenant_ of the Eighth Division,” Gin spoke up for the first time. “I say ya don’t need to listen to anythin’ he says.”

The Thug Trio looked at the silver-haired boy for the first time.

“You? A lieutenant?” Tanaka scoffed. “What kind of idiots do you think we are?”

“The ugly, nasty kind,” the smiling youth immediately riposted.

The bald officer looked about ready to charge at Gin, but Sato held him back. “Ignore him, Akio-san, he’s just a stupid kid; c’mon, let’s just focus on the pretty girl. Am I right?”

Placated by their cohort’s words, his partners-in-crime returned their attention to Rangiku.

Tanaka was the first to move. He reached out to grab the girl’s arm, only to receive a punch to the gut for his effort. Winded by the surprising strength of his opponent, the Third Seat stepped back to catch his breath while his underlings charged forward.

Swiftly and smoothly, Rangiku ducked below their fists and crouched to the ground. She swept a leg out that knocked the hairless man off his feet, and followed up by springing up with an uppercut to Tarō’s chin. The instigator of the whole affair staggered back and almost fell over, but just managed to catch his balance in time.

Before Rangiku could take advantage of Tarō’s weakness, Tanaka attacked her once more with a noticeably faster swing than his subordinates. Rangiku just managed to block the blow with her crossed forearms, but the force still made her scoot back an inch and would leave a bruise.

Though Rangiku was currently only a Twelfth Seat, she was a talented woman due for a promotion of her own soon, and was undoubtedly destined for the upper echelons. One on one with the two lower ranked thugs, she would have won easily. Even against the Third Seat, she would put up a good fight and stand a chance at winning, though Tanaka seemed to be a subpar example of his rank. Heck, Rangiku probably could have beaten both the weaker attackers by herself. Unfortunately, she was not strong enough yet to single-handedly take care of the three men assaulting her at once.

From his spot on the ground, Akio had recovered from his sudden fall. While Rangiku was holding back Tanaka’s fist, the smooth-headed man reentered the fight by grabbing the girl’s ankles and yanked. With a surprised yelp, Rangiku fell. Quickly recovering, she sat up and prepared to violently express her displeasure, only to be stopped by Tanaka as he grabbed her wrists and pulled them behind her back. She tried to pull out of his grip, but unfortunately the man was just strong enough to earn his rank as Third Seat, and so was able to keep Rangiku from escaping.

“Thanks, guys,” Sato grinned as he leered at the struggling but restrained girl. “Let’s find a private spot where we can f-!”

Captor and victim alike gaped at how the would-be rapist’s sentence had been cut short. First of all, they noticed that Sato was no longer near them. Instead, as a brief glance showed them, he was several meters away on his back, and moaning in pain. Standing over him with one foot on his chest was Gin.

If Rangiku was talented, then Gin was blessed. His record-breaking streak not only included graduating the Academy in one year but also rising to the position of lieutenant in a mere decade. When one took into account that most vice-captains usually had to spend the better part of a century working up to that position, such rapid advancement was nothing short of astonishing. These three stooges wouldn’t know what hit them.

Rangiku’s satisfaction at her assailant’s fate vanished when she noticed the expression on her best friend’s face as he looked down at the man he had just beaten. His normally hidden eyes were now revealed that lovely blue shade Rangiku had always found to be so pretty, and his eyebrows seemed to have inched towards each other just enough to create a barely noticeable furrow between them. The pale lips which were usually drawn back into a smile were now a straight, stern line with no hint of either genuine or feigned humor in them.

In short, Gin was _glaring_.

Stunned by that foreign expression on his face, Rangiku did not even notice that her legs were free until she saw her bald assailant charge at Gin. The next thing she knew, the attacker was flying through the air to violently collide with a wall. Rangiku was pretty sure she heard some bones break, but the whimpering told her that Akio was both alive and at least semi-conscious.

His initial target put out of his mind, Tanaka charged at Gin in a fit of fury. He threw a jab, but the smaller shinigami flawlessly countered by leaping into the air to land softly on the bully’s overextended arm. Nonverbal taunt complete, Gin snapped a kick forward at his enemy’s throat, and immediately leapt up again. The older man choked at the sudden disruption in air intake, and collapsed to his knees as both hands went to his throat. The prodigy finished up by landing with both feet on his enemy’s head and slamming him face-first to the ground with enough force to crack bone, if not pavement.

Seeing the fate of his comrades and gaining a second wind, Tarō started to quietly crawl away on his hands and knees, hoping that Gin’s attention would still be diverted.

He froze when Gin simply _appeared_ in front of him. Slowly, Sato looked up and gulped.

“Where do ya think yer goin’?” the young serpent hissed softly as a small but sadistic smile slithered onto his lips.

The subtle but potent venom in Gin’s voice paralyzed Tarō with terror, and sent shivers up Rangiku’s spine. She had to step in now before things went too far.

“Gin, that’s enough,” she called out while clambering to her feet.

“Whatcha mean?” he asked as he looked at her with a quizzical tilt to his head.

“You’ve already beaten them,” the girl explained with nervous patience. “Now we can turn them in for their actions. You don’t need to hurt them anymore.”

“They were lookin’ to _rape_ ya, Rangiku,” her friend said resolutely. “I’m gonna make sure they don’t entertain such thoughts again.”

“I think you’ve already made that clear,” she said, a bit disturbed by his eagerness to inflict pain, even on these scumbags who deserved it. In all honesty, if she were not so worried that Gin was on a slippery slope, she probably would have let him do as he wished.

“This is one o’ those lessons that needs reinforcement.”

“Look, they certainly do deserve whatever you plan to do to them, but that doesn’t make it right,” Rangiku argued.

“Makin’ these guys pay for what they tried to do to ya ain’t right?” Gin asked skeptically.

She crossed her arms to glare at him in resolution. “Making sure they’re punished is right. Taking pleasure in inflicting pain is _not._ ”

“What’s so bad ‘bout havin’ fun while punishin’ people who hurt you?”

Rangiku paled as she realized that Gin was honestly confused as to why it was bad to be cruel.

“Gin, you’re scaring me a little bit.”

 _That_ got his attention.

“Why? I’d never hurt ya!” he asserted with more vehemence than she expected.

“Because when you take pleasure in torturing people, even those who might deserve it, you’re no better than they are,” Rangiku explained.

“I think I’ve already proven who’s better,” Gin gestured to the three defeated slugs.

“I meant ethically, not physically,” she said.

“As long as yer taken care of, I don’t really care much ‘bout ethics.”

“Well you should!” Rangiku snapped at him, frustrated that a prodigy like him was so slow in comprehending such an important matter. “This time you’re making them pay for trying to hurt me! What if next time you want to torture someone, you don’t have a reason other than you just want to?”

He just continued to regard her with a puzzled look. In a twisted way, it reminded Rangiku of a confused dog, only this canine looked like he wanted to calmly tear people limb from limb.

“Why are you defendin’ ‘em so much?” Gin finally asked.

“I’m not,” she replied. “I’m defending _you_.”

“Huh?”

“Gin, if you continue to torture these men, you’ll go down a dark path that I don’t think you’ll walk away from,” Rangiku warned. “So, please, _listen_ to me: stop now, and don’t let yourself become a monster.”

The young serpent looked down at Tarō, the only assailant still conscious, and the one who had instigated the whole incident. He had remained in his terror-induced paralysis throughout the entire conversation, very much aware that imminent pain was only held in check by the very girl he had wronged.

Rangiku held her breath, and was petrified by the thought that Gin wouldn’t listen to her, that he would indulge in his thirst for revenge. If he did, what would she do then? Try to stop him? The girl didn’t see how she could, he was faster, stronger, and smarter than she was, and frankly despite her lecture on ethics, a dark part of her felt that those slime deserved whatever torments her serpentine friend could concoct. But if she didn’t even try, would she be any better than Gin in that regard? Wouldn’t she essentially be his accomplice?

In her mind, an eternity passed as she imagined her possible choices if Gin decided to ignore her words. In reality, it was only seconds before he relented, “I still dunno why, but if it matters so much to ya, I’ll stop now.”

Rangiku exhaled sharply in relief, as did Tarō, who slumped to the ground in the knowledge he had been spared the serpent’s wrath.

“Thank you, Gin,” she whispered.

Rangiku always knew that her best friend was odd, antisocial, and even a bit mean at times. Tonight was the first time she had seen Gin’s sadistic side laid bare before her. She wondered what would have happened if she had not stopped him from exacting full vengeance on those three men. The teenage girl shuddered and chose not to pursue that line of thought, but one thing was clear to her now. She had never entertained thoughts about leaving Gin’s side, but what she witnessed tonight made her determined to _always_ be with him, for his own sake.

In a way, Rangiku was actually grateful for the night’s events. If she hadn’t discovered Gin’s cruel tendencies now, how long would they have remained undetected by her? Would his pleasure in causing pain had taken deeper root and become irremovable by the time she discovered it? Fortunately, she would never have to find out. She would talk to Kyōraku and convince him to assign her to the lieutenant’s side whenever possible. No matter how long it took, Rangiku swore to make Gin learn not only how to interact with other people, but also the basics of morality.

A pained groan drew the attention of the three conscious individuals towards the slowly rising Third Seat.

“You two are dead meat,” Tanaka growled through bloody lips. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

“Tanaka-san, wait…” Tarō tried to warn his superior, obviously having enough self-preservation to know the situation he was in.

“Shut up!” the officer barked furiously, and addressed the younger duo, “Listen well, brats, I don’t care if you’re stronger than you look, one night you’re going to get what’s coming to you, and I will be there to enjoy every…”

“Tanaka-san!” a new voice interrupted.

Surprisingly, the short-tempered Third Seat actually stopped talking at the sound of the new arrival.

The most recent addition to the party was walking calmly towards them, his face set in a serious expression of controlled anger. The armband denoted his rank as lieutenant, and the badge identified his division as the Fifth.

“Mind your tongue,” Aizen Sōsuke scolded. “You are addressing a superior officer.”

The Third Seat appeared to not understand the statement for a moment, but then snapped his head to Gin again in shocked comprehension.

“You mean the brat really is a lieutenant?” Tanaka demanded incredulously. “What kind of moron would appoint a dumb kid as their lieutenant?”

“If ya were payin’ attention earlier, ya would’ve heard me say the Eighth Division,” Gin answered. “An’ contrary to what he likes people to believe, Kyōraku-taichō ain’t no idiot.”

“Tch, now I’m not surprised,” the Third Seat grumbled. “He was probably drunk when he gave you that badge, or maybe even…” ~~~~

“Tanaka-san,” Aizen cut off warningly, “You, as well as Narita-san and Sato-san, can consider yourselves under arrest for insubordination by assaulting Ichimaru-fukutaichō. Do not compound the charge by insulting a captain.”

Gin noticed with interest how Tanaka’s eyes flashed with terror at the slight warning tone in the lieutenant’s voice.

“O-of course, Aizen-fukutaichō,” he said as he bowed in penitence.

“Very good,” the bespectacled man affirmed. “Now, both of you should take Narita-san to the Fourth Division. The three of you will stay there until I retrieve you and decide on what disciplinary actions to take towards you. I do not need to inform you of the consequences of disobeying that order.”

The two relatively uninjured men nodded meekly and dragged their unconscious member away.

Aizen turned to his peers and asked in a gentler tone, “May I have the full story of what happened here?”

“Those three wanted to rape Rangiku,” Gin stated bluntly. “I gave ‘em a brief lesson on why that was a bad idea.”

“So I saw,” the Fifth’s lieutenant noted. “I apologize profusely for their actions, and I assure you their punishment will be severe. I knew they were not the most reputable shinigami in the Gotei 13, but I did not realize they were this depraved.”

“Yeah, funny how people can surprise you like that,” the silver-haired boy replied.

Rangiku blinked. She was pretty sure no one else but her would be able to detect it, but Gin’s comment seemed to hold a certain amount of sarcasm, as if he did not believe Aizen’s words. But that didn’t make sense, because everything she had heard about Aizen Sōsuke said he was everything a model shinigami should be. Then again, Gin was more perceptive than most people; was there a hidden side to Aizen only her friend could see?

She mentally shook her head at her paranoia; it was far more likely Gin was still miffed at his fun being cut short, and was just taking it out on his fellow Second Seat.

The Fifth’s lieutenant seemed to pick up on Gin’s mood, because his baritone had a subtle edge to it as he replied, “Indeed.”

Not wanting a passive-aggressive standoff between the two men, Rangiku tugged on her friend’s sleeve.

“Come on, Gin, let’s head back to the Eighth,” she said.

“Sure,” the argent lieutenant shrugged easily as he followed her lead. “See ya, Aizen-fukutaichō.”

“Thank you for your help,” Rangiku added.

“Of course,” Aizen replied in a friendlier tone than before. “Good night.”

* * *

Aizen watched as the two young shinigami walk away, his eyes particularly focused on the silver-haired boy.

He had of course heard of Ichimaru Gin’s graduation from the Academy in a single year, and listened to the rumors of the boy’s creepy aura. Unfortunately, tonight was the first night Aizen had been able to meet the prodigy in person. The result was both fascinating and disappointing.

On the one hand, Ichimaru Gin was as intelligent and strong as his reputation had predicted. He even possessed a ruthless and cruel streak in him that Aizen would have found quite useful in his service. But what impressed him most of all was the fact that his mask of a model shinigami did not seem to fool the kit. The mastermind was fairly certain Ichimaru had not seen through his disguise, but the fact that he had detected it at all was impressive. A subordinate savvy enough to not be fooled by his deception would be a risky undertaking, as it meant that Ichimaru had greater odds than anyone else at successfully betraying him. But the benefits of having such an astute servant could be equally rewarding.

Of course, with such an admirable résumé, there were still downsides. Chief of them was his friend Matsumoto Rangiku. Aizen had watched most of the affair between his three underlings and the two Eighth Division officers. He witnessed how Ichimaru had acted towards the men who dared harm his friend, and more importantly, he saw how Matsumoto had reined him in. Even though Ichimaru shared Aizen’s lack of moral concerns, the boy still chose to listen to the girl instead of following his own impulses. This meant that even if Aizen successfully recruited him, the fox would still heed Matsumoto over him in a given situation. But more importantly, in Aizen’s personal opinion, such a choice meant that Ichimaru was unwilling to reach his true potential.

The aspiring deity supposed if he _really_ wanted Ichimaru to have a more agreeable attitude, he could have the girl killed. With her dead and his moral compass askew, Aizen could recruit the boy with the promise of revenge on the guilty party. But he knew better than to actually implement this plan. If the prodigy was good enough to see through his mask, then he would certainly find out that Aizen was behind his friend’s death. Once that happened, there would be no stopping Ichimaru from pursuing revenge, and unlike most other individuals he had come across, the snake was actually a threat. A threat Aizen was sure he could handle, but a threat nonetheless.

In the end, even though Ichimaru was strong and smart and certainly an individual not to be underestimated, he was not good subordinate material. All the same, it would be prudent to keep an eye on him.

With that the two lieutenants went their separate ways, following very different paths.

* * *

**Author’s Note:** So after a year of being on hiatus, I have returned briefly to give you a bonus single-shot chapter for “A Grudge Not Held.”

The three thugs in this chapter are the same ones who hurt Rangiku in canon, and in turn set Gin off on his quest for revenge. I wrote about their canon untimely deaths at Gin’s hands in my oneshot, “Hit List.”

Originally, this was just a small segment on how an encounter between Gin, Rangiku, and those three thugs would go in this AU. It was not intended to be anything significant, but as I expanded on this chapter, I realized that I had stumbled upon a turning point in Gin’s character growth: this is the first time Rangiku realizes she is Gin’s Morality Chain and exercises that authority.

Rangiku does not realize it, but she’s going to be undertaking what is essentially a layman’s treatment for a potential sociopath. Canon-Gin displayed many characteristics of Anti-Social Personality Disorder, including a manipulative streak, lying, (almost) complete lack of ethical sense, and (almost) complete lack of empathy. The only thing that really separates him from becoming a full-fledged sociopath is his emotional connection to Rangiku. In real life, Anti-Social Personality Disorder manifests itself while a child, but if the symptoms are noticed in time, then they can be treated and the individual can live a life as a more mentally stable person. But if left untreated by the teenage years, then the condition is irrevocable. Admittedly, I have not done the research at how a potential sociopath is treated, whether if nothing more is required than behavioral therapy or the equivalent, or if prescription drugs are required. But fortunately for Rangiku, in this universe, the only thing she needs to make sure Gin does not follow his canon path is a watchful eye and intervention when he’s about to go too far in addition to pulling him into more social situations, which she had already begun.

I said in a previous author’s note that I might work on a single chapter set during the Zanpakutō rebellion, with Gin facing Shinsō. I regret to say that this will not be happening, primarily because most of the content I had planned to put into the chapter actually managed to find its way into Gin’s conversations with Shinsō in his inner world.

I am also honored to say that “A Grudge Not Held” is featured on TVTropes pages For Want Of A Nail and Tranquil Fury as an example in the Fan Works folder.

My thanks to **Tomas the Betrayer** for Beta-reading this chapter.

I’d also like to give my thanks to everyone who’s left a review since the last update: **amado15** , **Ethyrin Kairos** , **ImSeriousBro** , **Chiruka** , Elise, **TakaSasuke** , **Grey-Rain-Cloud** , **Naomi Shihoin** , **Hypothetical Spiritual Entity** , **Sgt. Rill** , CoolIcePrincess, **Iskandor06** , **MoonlightRurouni** , **StrangerInAStrangeWorld** , **twistedthinking3** , She of the Wind, **The Knight of Thirteen** , **BladeofRays** , **X59** , **RRR98** , **RoshniUchina** , A Midsummer, **Alias the Jester** , **Ultra-Pop** , **Kaylessa** , **Writing bunny** , **Hebi R** , the happy one, **Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet** , **Sage of wind Dragon** , **raineynight** , **JasmineDragon92** , **Leinad312** , and anonymous guests.

* * *

**Omake: Shinigami Illustrated Guide**

“Let me get this straight,” Kyōraku said in response to young Rangiku’s request. “You want me to make sure that whenever Gin’s out on assignment, you’re by his side.”

“That’s right,” she confirmed. “I’m worried about his ethical development. If I’m there to step in when it’s needed, I’m sure I can prevent Gin from making certain… mistakes.”

“Hmm, that’s a fair reason,” the captain considered. “And this has nothing to do with your feelings for him?”

“ _What?_ ” Rangiku squawked as her face reddened in rage (not embarrassment!). “Have you been talking with Nanao-chan?!”

“Oh, she figured it out, too?” Kyōraku murmured without surprise. “Can’t say I’m shocked; she’s a smart girl.”

“She’s mistaken! And so are you!” she protested hotly. “Wait, how many people are making that same mistake?!”

“Pretty much everyone who knows you two,” the pink-clad charmer shrugged nonchalantly, barely keeping his amusement concealed at his subordinate’s horrified expression. “There are even a few who think you two are already together but are trying to keep it a secret.”

Rangiku floundered wordlessly for a few moments at the new information. Deciding there was no dignified end to this conversation, she instead jumped back to the original topic.

“Do you agree to my request to stay by Gin’s side during missions or not?” she gritted out.

“Of course,” the captain gave his permission with a knowing smile.

“Thank you, Kyōraku-taichō!” the girl quickly bowed and rushed out the room.

“Ah, young love,” the deceptively old fighter murmured to himself as he leaned back and pulled his hat over his eyes. “If those two aren’t _at least_ together in fifty years, I’ll burn my kimono and then scold them for being dense idiots.”

* * *

**AO3 Commentary:** This chapter is another reminder that while Gin is much nicer than canon, and actually cares about a few individuals other than Rangiku, he still does have a dark side to him. On the flip side, this chapter also shows that Rangiku is very aware of this, and why she works hard to spend the next hundred years as his conscience.

Given that several years have passed since I wrote this, I want to correct myself by saying that Gin does not fit the definition of a sociopath, as there are several criteria he lacks that qualify him for that description. He’s not impulsive, he doesn’t have a grandiose sense of self-worth, he is capable of empathy, he is capable of accepting the responsibility of his actions and showing remorse, and while he certainly lies a lot, it’s not compulsive for him like it is with a true sociopath.

However, my point about increased socialization from a young age decreases the chances and severity of anti-social behavior still applies.

As a side note, I’ve noticed that while Gin is often shown in fanfics as calling Rangiku “Ran-chan,” I don’t think we’ve ever seen him do so in canon.

While I only have one more one-shot to add to this work, I will keep the “?” as the total number of chapters in the hope that I will add more to it at a later date.

Thanks to everyone who left kudos on this series, and a special shout-out to Noiram ARDA and FETHJJ GYHHJ for their comments.


	2. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party celebrating their wedding, Gin regales to the guests the story of how he and Rangiku finally became a couple (much to the bride’s chagrin).

**Originally published on Fanfiction.net: 8/21/2017**

* * *

_“So you have to tell me,” Shiba Kaien, the lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division raised his saucer of sake to the newlyweds Ichimaru Gin and his wife, Ichimaru Rangiku. “How did you two_ finally _realize you were hopelessly and madly in love with each other?”_

_Gin and his captain Shunsui Ky_ _ōraku looked at each other and shared a grin, while Rangiku blushed and coughed uncomfortably, “We just realized it, that’s all.”_

_“There was a bit more to it than that,” Ky_ _ōraku pointed out as his mirthful grin widened._

_“No. There wasn’t,” the strawberry-blonde insisted._

_“Well, if ya wanna know,” Gin said mischievously._

_“No, they don’t,” Rangiku hinted heavily to her friends._

_“I do,” Kyōraku ignored the implied threat without qualm._

_“I know part of it, but I’d like to hear the whole thing,” Nanao opined with absolutely no motivation for payback for all the times her Third Seat had teased and embarrassed her. None at all._

_“I’m sure the tale will be very sweet,” Miyako agreed more genuinely._

_“Stories of romance are so rare among the shinigami, so I would love to listen to it,” Ukitake smiled encouragingly._

_“Well, there ya have it, Rangiku,” Gin gestured to the rapt attention of their audience. “Storytime.”_

_“Don’t you dare!” the blushing (or perhaps blazing) bride growled at her new husband._

_He met her gaze without flinching, his smile displaying his amusement at her flustered demeanor._

_Then, he turned to their guests, and dared._

* * *

“Finally!”

Lieutenant Ichimaru Gin looked up from his paperwork to see his best friend shaking her hand after its prolonged grip on the writing utensil.

“Done?” he asked sympathetically. While the Fifth Seat was often overdramatic in her aversion to paperwork, even he admitted they had a significantly larger than normal workload today.

“Yes!” Matsumoto Rangiku sighed in relief. “I thought it would never end!”

“Ya may have beaten ‘em today, but they’ll be back tomorrow,” Gin smirked at her, and grinned even wider at the open look of despair on her face his words elicited. Such a reaction prompted him to add dramatically, “With _reinforcements.”_

“Don’t remind me,” the lovely young woman moaned as she slumped onto her desk. “Please, just let me have this victory. However brief it may be.”

“Yeah, yeah, good job,” he chuckled at her “plight.” The lieutenant decided Rangiku had the right idea and placed down his own pen. He was at a good stopping point, and the rest could wait until tomorrow.

“C’mon, Rangiku, time to head out,” he beckoned her. “I know ya don’t wanna sleep at yer desk.”

“I know, but I don’t want to move,” she groaned back.

“That’s okay, I’m fine with draggin’ ya back to yer room and tossin’ ya into bed,” the vulpine shinigami smirked.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Rangiku managed to summon enough energy to tilt her head to glare at him.

He let his ever-present smile answer for him.

“All right, I’ll get up,” she relented with a growl as she pushed herself upright.

“Good fer ya,” he cheered as she began to stand up.

Just as Rangiku got to her feet, she let out a sharp hiss of surprised pain and nearly toppled over again. Her re-introduction with the floor was only prevented by Gin’s quick reflexes and a step by shunpo allowing him to reach his friend’s side and support her weight.

“You okay?” he asked in concern.

“Yeah, my back’s sore after sitting like this all day, and it caught me by surprise,” Rangiku answered, and winced as she cautiously straightened up.

“No wonder it’s achin’ after how tense yer posture was,” Gin noted. “If ya’d been more relaxed like I was, ya wouldn’t be as stiff.”

“But it’s _paperwork!”_ she wildly gestured to the offending tools of bureaucracy. “Relaxing with paperwork is like trying to relax in the First Division!”

“True,” he chuckled, and walked her over to the nearby couch. “C’mon, stretch out here ‘fore I take ya back to yer room.”

“Thanks, Gin,” Rangiku groaned gratefully as she lay face down on the cushions.

“No problem,” he replied as he placed a comforting hand on her back. Then, more thoughtfully, he moved the hand lower, to where he guessed her muscles were sorest and asked for confirmation, “This where it hurts?”

“That’s right,” Rangiku confirmed with a quick hiss. A hiss that turned into a sigh of relief as he carefully applied more pressure and moved along her aching muscles.

“How’s that feel?” Gin asked as he continued to massage her back.

“Better,” she hummed softly as a content smile flitted on her lips.

Pleased at her reaction, the silver-haired officer went on treating her sore muscles.

But as minutes passed as he rubbed her back, Gin started to realize the oddity of the situation he found himself in. He was unaccustomed to prolonged physical contact with other people. The most he experienced were the catch-and-release hugs he received from Rangiku, though he occasionally patted Nanao on the head when she did good work. Or just to see her flustered response.

Now here he was, running his hands across Rangiku’s back and setting a new record for most physical contact he had ever experienced with another person. It was… odd. A pleasing sort of odd, especially given the way she was clearly enjoying the treatment, but still odd.

“Okay, I think that’s enough fer now,” he decided more reluctantly than he expected as he withdrew his hands.

“Aww, just a little more?” his prostrate partner pleaded.

A plea that was far more tempting to acquiesce to than it had any right to be.

“We still need to get dinner,” Gin reminded her.

“I suppose you’re right,” she pouted briefly as she sat up, but it quickly turned into a hum of contentment as she lifted her arms overhead to stretch. “Thank you, Gin; I really needed that.”

The impish officer was about to acknowledge her gratitude, but suddenly found himself… distracted. Specifically, by the way Rangiku’s chest jutted out and up as a side effect of her stretch. Before now, Gin had taken no more note of his longtime compatriot’s most famous feature than any other part of her body. And yet, he found himself bizarrely compelled to admire the twin mounds on her upper torso.

“A- _hem._ ”

Gin blinked and chastised himself for his lack of attention to his surroundings. He lifted his eyes to see Rangiku grinning voraciously at him like the proverbial cat that had eaten the equally proverbial canary.

“Enjoying the view?” she asked rhetorically. “Looks like even _you_ aren’t immune to my girls’ charms!”

She accentuated her remark by bringing her arms up and caused her magnetic chest to perform an almost hypnotizing movement, which drew Gin’s gaze downward once more to appreciate the motion. With a great deal of willpower, he brought his eyes back up to her equally distracting face and with a vulpine smirk of his own, retorted, “Kinda hard to miss objects visible from the top of Sōkyoku Hill.”

Gin swore he could hear the glass shattering in Rangiku’s head at his remark. That was both a better and worse reaction than he anticipated.

With a triumphant grin showing his lack of remorse for his comment, the victor vacated the premises with a step of shunpo.

A second later, he could feel his pursuer commence the hunt with a battle cry of, “ICHIMARU GIN, I AM GOING TO _KILL_ YOU!”

* * *

_Kaien and Kyōraku burst out laughing, and even the more conservative members of the gathering couldn’t help but chuckle._

_“The story of how you two finally got together begins with him making a crack about her chest?” the guffawing lieutenant managed to eke out incredulously._

_“And that’s where it ends, too,” Rangiku growled. She turned to her husband and said warningly, “Right, Gin?”_

_Playing oblivious to her dangerous tone, the fox cheerfully corrected, “Oh no, we’re jus’ gettin’ started!”_

* * *

A couple hours later found the buxom bombshell lying on the grass, her chest rising up and down in a rather entertaining manner.

Even though he was aware it was this subject that started this chase in the first place, Gin couldn’t resist plopping down right next to Rangiku and bobbing his head up and down in sync with her panting breaths.

Exhausted as she was from the hunt after a long day in the office, the only thing the Fifth Seat could muster in retaliation was a half-hearted swat at his legs and a muttered, “Jerk.”

“Sorry,” the lieutenant smiled apologetically as he ceased his pantomime and settled into a more comfortable sitting position.

“So you should be,” Rangiku panted. “Mocking my girls like that…”

“It really bothers ya?” Gin asked sincerely.

She inhaled and exhaled thoughtfully. “A little bit,” she finally admitted. “I’m used to guys ogling my breasts, but I’ve learned to ignore the leers as long as they keep their hands to themselves. Even so, it’s… weird to have _you_ , of all people, looking at me like that.”

“To be honest, today was the first time I ever noticed ‘em.”

* * *

_“How tightly shut do you keep your eyes?!” multiple baffled voices demanded._

* * *

“You’re joking,” Rangiku recovered enough energy to sit up and stare at him in utter shock.

“I mean, yeah, I knew they were there an’ all, but today was the first time I really _looked_ at ‘em.”

“You must be the last man in the Gotei 13 to do so then,” his old friend snickered, before more soberly asking, “You’re not going to make up for lost time and stare at them around the clock, are you?”

“Can’t say I’ll never glance at ‘em again, but I won’t ogle ya,” Gin promised earnestly as he scratched the back of his head.

“That’s okay,” Rangiku accepted with a nod. “I like my boobs and all, but I hate how most people seem to think I’m easy or dumb or both just because of my chest size.”

“Well, they’re idiots.”

“Don’t need to convince _me_ of that.”

“Don’t worry; far as I’m concerned, the gals are just another part o’ ya,” Gin shrugged, and continued, “’Sides, they’re not the best part o’ ya.”

“Oh, really?” Rangiku drawled skeptically with a raised eyebrow. “Then tell me, what _is_ ‘the best part’ of me?”

He raised a hand and extended a finger to point directly at her chest, just a little left of her center.

“It’s what’s buried beneath those mountains,” he answered.

Rangiku blinked as she processed his meaning, and then burst into giggles.

“Gin, that’s so _corny!_ ” she chortled, but her blush was still evident.

“I mean it, though,” he elucidated. “I may be faster, stronger, an’ smarter than ya…”

Her amusement abruptly aborted, she sent a withering look at him for the blunt analysis, but couldn’t say anything because she knew it was true.

“…but when it comes to connectin’ to people, ya got me beat. Ya always know how to play nice with others, ya always seem to know what’s right or wrong, an’ it makes ya shine. The more I see ya do what ya do best, the more I admire it an’ think maybe I should follow yer example. I might know how to survive an’ have fun, but ya know how to _live_.”

Rangiku stared at him for a moment, and uttered in quiet, flattered awe, “Gin…” She swallowed. “…that’s… really sweet. Thank you.”

He shrugged without breaking eye contact. “Jus’ sayin’ what I think.”

“Well… it still means a lot to me,” she flushed, now looking like she wanted to avert her gaze, but felt the same compulsion he did to not look away.

“Well… _you_ mean a lot to me,” he countered, which elicited a pleasant deeper blush from the girl.

“Thanks,” she murmured bashfully, and finally glanced away as she echoed the sentiment, “You mean a lot to me, too.”

Gin noticed a lock of hair stray on her face from the movement, and impulsively reached over to tuck it back into place.

As he did so, Rangiku snapped her gaze back to him. She seemed puzzled and surprised by his action, but bizarrely enough, there were also hints of both hope and fear in her expression. The sight was rather magnetic, and he could not look away even if he wanted to. There seemed to be an invisible cord connecting them which prevented either party from breaking off.

It also appeared to be shrinking.

He was not sure who was responsible for closing the gap, nor did he have a clue what was going on, but given how right the action felt, he decided to investigate those questions later and go with the flow for now.

A loud, obnoxious gurgle cut the cord, and allowed the officers to look down at the source of the sound: Rangiku’s stomach. The heavy silence that had surrounded them before disappeared, and it was replaced it with a different sort of quiet.

“We still need to get dinner, don’t we?” Gin asked rhetorically.

“Yeah,” Rangiku acknowledged quietly, now refusing to meet his gaze as she looked away.

“All right, let’s go get the cooks to whip somethin’ up fer us,” he sighed as he got to his feet. True, their merry little chase had certainly taken them past the official dinner time, but rank hath privileges and all that.

“Yeah,” his old ally murmured as she followed his lead.

Their hike to the mess hall was surprisingly uncomfortable, a fact even Gin could pick up on. He knew Rangiku’s stomach had interrupted _something_ , but he had no clue what. It was like how he felt when giving her that massage: odd but pleasant. It was rather perturbing.

He needed more information about this matter, and given Rangiku’s embarrassed demeanor about the whole affair, Gin did not think it prudent to ask her about this just yet. Plus, an outsider’s perspective might prove insightful.

Gin decided to go visit Kyōraku when he had the chance; despite the man’s lazy and carefree attitude, the lieutenant knew his superior could be relied upon to offer serious advice when the situation called for it.

But that was a tomorrow problem; now, he wanted dinner.

* * *

_“So, Rangiku-kun, what was your perspective on all this?” Kaien asked curiously._

_“That’s for me to know and you to never find out,” she replied smugly._

_“I believe I can fill you in,” Nanao volunteered._

_“Traitor!”_

* * *

Rangiku had been distracted all morning by the… troubling events of the previous evening. The whole experience had been nice. _Too_ nice for Rangiku’s comfort zone, almost as if they had crossed some invisible boundary between friendship and… something else she dared not identify. She felt torn in two by the stubborn insistence that Gin was nothing more than a cherished companion, and the blatant reality that what happened was not really something a boy and girl who were merely friends did. Especially the act she was fairly sure had _almost_ happened…

Was it getting warm in here?

“Thinking about Ichimaru-fukutaichō?” Nanao broke into her thoughts knowingly.

“What?” Rangiku shook herself out of her daze, and after the younger officer’s question caught up to her, she immediately denied, “Of course not! Why would you even think that?”

“Because he’s the only person I know who can make you blush.”

“Don’t start that again! He’s my best friend, that’s all!” Rangiku snapped, and attempted to deflect the issue away from her reddened cheeks. “And why are you so pushy about this? You’re the one that has a crush on him!”

“Had,” the bookworm corrected calmly. “My feelings for Ichimaru-fukutaichō were nothing more than a puerile infatuation, and they have now matured into platonic friendship. And you’re avoiding the subject.”

“There’s no subject to discuss,” the older woman insisted.

“Rangiku-san,” Nanao said in a soft, serious tone that made her pause. “Be honest with me, and more importantly, yourself: do you truly think of Ichimaru-fukutaichō as nothing more than a friend?”

She opened her mouth to settle the question once and for all now that the bookworm was actually going to believe her, but nothing came out.

Okay, something was wrong; why wasn’t she saying, “Yes! Finally, you’re listening to what I’ve been saying the past thirty years!”

Instead, she was just sitting there gaping like an idiot while Nanao waited patiently for an answer.

Rangiku closed her mouth and swallowed. She could do this. It would be no different than any other time she had denied having romantic intentions towards Gin. The Fifth Seat tried to spit out the words that would slam the door shut on the matter concerning her nonexistent feelings.

“I…” There, first word out, now for the rest of the sentence. “…don’t…” That’s two, now keep going. “…know.”

What was wrong with her?! So much for a firm declaration of platonic intentions towards her dearest friend.

“Why are you so resistant to the idea of loving Ichimaru-fukutaichō?” Nanao asked gently.

“Because he’s my best friend!” Rangiku said. “I _can’t_ like him like that!”

“Why not? Such a friendship is a good basis for entering a romantic relationship.” She lowered her glasses to add emphasis to this statement.

“This is real life, not one of your love stories,” the Fifth Seat scolded, and took no small pleasure at the embarrassed bookworm’s blush. But it disappeared as she added, “Besides, I don’t think he’s into stuff like romance. I mean in all the years I’ve known him, he’s never once shown an interest in girls, not once!”

Nanao stared at her with a dull expression that bluntly stated, “You’re an idiot.”

“Don’t look me in that tone of voice!” the older woman growled. “I dare you, name _one_ girl he’s ever been interested in.”

“Matsumoto Rangiku.”

“What?” the owner of the title blinked at the use of her full name.

“You asked me to name one girl Ichimaru-fukutaichō has ever been interested in,” Nanao elucidated calmly. “And her name is Matsumoto Rangiku. But don’t worry, there’s no need to be jealous of her; she’s too deep in denial to be a rival for your affections.”

“First of all, since when are you so sassy?” Rangiku narrowed her eyes at the normally respectful and serious officer. “Second, Gin has… never…”

She trailed off as she remembered the events of the day before, and gave a light shiver at the memory of how it felt to be admired by his hidden eyes.

Rangiku was quite accustomed to having both appreciative and envious gazes directed at her. She took them all in stride, from the bashful youths who innocently couldn’t keep their eyes off her to the creepy leers which made her want to take a bath to cleanse herself. Her beauty was something she took pride in, and she accepted the awed gazes as proper tribute to her pulchritude.

But when her best friend had looked at her like that… it was different. Even when she considered the novelty of Gin noticing the opposite sex in such a manner, Rangiku felt herself… flattered by the attention he gave her. When other people looked at her, she inflated with pride, but with Gin… she felt _humbled_. The fact that he showed no interest in any woman except her similarly did not swell her ego as she expected; instead, she felt _honored_ by his attention.

What made Gin so different?

Well, besides it being _Gin_ , but surely it wasn’t just because of that?

Then, with choked horror, Rangiku realized it was _exactly_ because of that. Not on account of him being an eccentric trickster, but because…

She didn’t dare even think it.

“I think you’re finally starting to accept it,” Nanao noted, far too observant for her own good.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the elder girl stubbornly denied.

“No, I think you finally do.” Her counter was gentle and supportive instead of the expected smugness, which softened Rangiku’s stance slightly. “The question now is, what are you going to do about it?”

Do? How could she even think about doing anything when the mere idea of being attracted to a certain someone still sent her reeling?

“How should I know?” Rangiku blurted out helplessly.

“Come now, surely you know what to do when you like a man,” Nanao said.

The flirtatious beauty maintained an uncomfortable silence.

“Or perhaps you don’t,” her tormentor realized thoughtfully. “Have you done anything more with a man than flirt and tease?”

“There haven’t been any men I’ve been that interested in!” Rangiku replied defensively.

“Except one.”

“Shut up.”

“Well, at least you know how to start,” Nanao offered. “Flirt with Ichimaru-fukutaichō, and see how things proceed from there.”

“Flirt? With _Gin?”_ Rangiku gulped at the prospect.

“Why not? You’re interested in him, and if he’s not interested in you, I’ll burn my books.”

Right. She was Matsumoto Rangiku, the sexiest woman in the Gotei 13! She could have any man she wanted, and she wanted Ichimaru Gin! She would use her wiles on the unflappable trickster until he was putty in her hands!

…Yeah, she was doomed.

* * *

_“And this is where I come in,” Ky_ _ōraku chimed._

* * *

“Hey, Kyōraku-taichō?”

“Mm, what is it, Gin?” the captain looked up at his lieutenant.

“Mind if I talk ‘bout somethin’ private with ya?”

“Of course, be my guest,” Kyōraku rose from his resting position and regarded his subordinate with an open ear. Unlike his usual confident, smirking self, Gin seemed confused, unsure, and contemplative. “What’s wrong?”

“I dunno, that’s why I’m askin’ ya,” Gin shrugged with furrowed eyebrows. “But it’s got to do with Rangiku.”

A few different possibilities of where this conversation was headed entered the flamboyant veteran’s mind, but he wisely waited to hear the young man continue before jumping to any conclusions.

“What about her?”

“Well, have ya noticed anythin’… dif’rent ‘bout her recently?” Gin questioned.

“I don’t think so,” Kyōraku answered after a moment of thoughtful silence. “Did she change her hair or something?”

“No, nothin’ like that,” the lieutenant shook his head. “It ain’t anythin’ solid, but all of a sudden, when I look at her, I’m…” he paused as if trying to grasp the correct way of phrasing his problem. “…havin’ trouble _not_ lookin’ at her.”

A knowing smile crossed the old flirt’s lips.

“When you look at her, you’re thinking something along the lines of her being the most beautiful sight you’ve ever laid eyes on?” he asked, doing his best to keep mischief and amusement out of his voice.

Gin’s eyebrows rose, and he nodded _almost_ bashfully. Almost.

“She’s in your thoughts all the time?”

“Seems like it,” the lieutenant confirmed.

“You feel like you don’t know what you’d do without her?”

“Yep.”

“Being around her puts you off your guard in a way nothing else does?”

“Pretty much.”

“She’s the most important person in your life?”

“’Course.”

Kyōraku smiled at the affirmatives, and stated, “Ichimaru Gin, I do believe you’re starting to look at Rangiku now not as a friend, but as a woman.”

“I don’t leer at her like she’s a piece of meat,” he frowned.

“And you shouldn’t,” Kyōraku agreed seriously. “You should regard her like a work of art.”

The boy’s frown disappeared, appeased by the captain’s reply.

“It’s about time you viewed her that way,” the dandy commented nonchalantly. “I’ve noticed her womanly assets for quite a while now.”

“Yeah, I’m sure ya have,” his lieutenant returned dryly.

“Now, now, don’t go giving me a hard time when you’ve been appreciating the same masterpiece I have,” the legendary lothario smirked as he sipped his sake.

And promptly choked on it when he saw Gin… _blush_.

* * *

_“Wait a second,” Rangiku protested. “When I caught you checking me out, you were unfazed and quipped a joke, but when Ky_ _ōraku-taich_ _ō called you out on checking me out, you_ blushed?!”

_“Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m more comfortable with ya,” Gin shrugged._

_Rangiku pouted for a moment, but a smirk adorned her features and she purred, “Well, that’s okay, because I have_ other _ways to make you blush.”_

_“I did NOT need to hear that!” Nanao protested with red-stained cheeks._

_“I could stand to hear a little more,” Kyōraku opined hopefully._

_“Captain, you should not pry into your subordinates’ private affairs!” the young officer chastised._

_“That’s right,” Kaien nodded solemnly. “You should wait until you’re invited into your subordinates’ private affairs, like Ukitake-taichō does.”_

_Ukitake’s stuttering protests were drowned out by his comrades’ laughter, save for poor little Nanao whose cheeks were blazing so hard her glasses were fogging up._

_“Kaien!” Miyako chastised, her hand raised to conceal a grin._

_“Hey, am I wrong?” the Thirteenth’s lieutenant demanded rhetorically. “A show of hands, who has fantasized being with Ukitake-taichō at least once?”_

_Rangiku’s hand shot up eagerly and shamelessly along with Kaien’s. Gin followed suit, with one finger extended to denote that it had, in fact, only been once. In a similar vein, Kyōraku put up a hand with two fingers raised, only to extend a third finger after a moment’s thought. Miyako shook her head with a grin, but raised her hand as well._

_Nanao was the only one without a hand up, due to her face being buried in both palms. Rangiku helped her be an honest girl by grabbing one of her wrists and lifting it proudly on high. For some reason, Nanao seemed like she did not appreciate this assistance in being forthright._

_“Now that we’ve embarrassed our resident lady-killer with the fact that he’s the sexiest captain of the Thirteen Divisions and Nanao-chan for noticing this fact, let’s get back to embarrassing our resident newlyweds about how they finally got together,” Kyōraku steered the conversation back on topic._

* * *

“So, are hormones to blame fer this?” Gin asked as Kyōraku finished coughing up the rest of the sake that had gone down the wrong pipe.

Kyōraku cleared his throat and answered, “If it were just hormones, then why aren’t you distracted by every pretty girl you pass by? There are plenty of them in the Gotei 13, you know.”

“I guess so, but Rangiku’s the prettiest,” the young fox countered. “She’s the only who gets my attention like that.”

“And that’s where we get to the real answer to your original question: you are _in love_ with your friend Rangiku,” the amorous authority diagnosed.

The silver-haired youth had his head cocked to one side thoughtfully.

“Huh,” he eventually grunted out loud.

* * *

_“Only you, Gin,” Kaien shook his head grinning. “Only you would react to the revelation you were in love with your childhood friend with nothing more than ‘huh.’”_

* * *

“Didn’t think I had it in me,” Gin commented.

“Really? Why not?” Kyōraku arched an eyebrow.

“Dunno. Just didn’t,” the lieutenant shrugged.

“Well, now that you do know, what are you going to do about it?”

Gin smiled contemplatively and answered, “I guess I go and tell Rangiku.”

“Just like that?” Kyōraku cocked an eyebrow again at his confidence.

“Ain’t that what a guy’s supposed to do when he likes a girl?” the argent kit returned.

“True, but you seem certain she’ll reciprocate.”

“I’m sure she will.”

“This from the kid who had to be told that he had feelings for said girl?”

Gin had the grace to smile sheepishly before he responded, “That’s kinda how I figured Rangiku liked me back.”

“And if you’re mistaken?” Kyōraku asked. He hated to question the young man’s resolve like this after watching the romantic tension between him and Rangiku for so long, but he wanted to be sure Gin understood a few things about relationships first.

“Am I?” the cunning officer replied challengingly, his confidence in his conclusion clear.

“For the record, I agree with you,” Kyōraku understated his opinion. “But _never_ take a woman’s feelings for granted. Rangiku will _not_ appreciate it if you assume she’ll jump into a relationship with you, even if you’re correct about how she reciprocates your feelings. Trust me, this is one of the times when it’s _much_ harder to ask forgiveness than permission.”

Gin pursed his lips thoughtfully, and a small crease briefly formed between his brows as his captain’s words sank in.

“So, waddaya suggest?” he asked.

“Before you outright confess, I advise you to test the waters,” Kyōraku recommended. “Flirt with her, compliment her, see how she reacts. Gauge how she responds to your interest.”

“Seems like beatin’ round the bush,” Gin replied. “What’s wrong with jus’ tellin’ her?”

“For one, most women like to be romanced,” he answered. “Think of it as trial period to find out how the two of you will act once you’ve crossed that boundary from just friends to something more.”

The shinigami prodigy shrugged and said, “M’kay, I’ll give it a shot.”

* * *

Gin took the time to study his closest friend’s appearance, now that he was aware of his true feelings towards her.

Rangiku was beautiful, of that there was no debate. But before now, he had focused not on the physical side of her beauty, but of the qualities that made her Rangiku. Her joyful outlook on life, her kindness towards others, and that mischievous streak that helped bring more restrained people out of their shells, all of it showed the real beauty inside her.

But now, he decided to appreciate Rangiku’s exterior allure as well.

Gin wondered if it was narcissistic of him to find Rangiku’s eyes to be so lovely. Whether it was or not, he decided he loved them anyway. Beautiful, bright blue eyes so full of exuberance and vibrancy, and though occasionally clouded by anger or sadness, they were never marred by tears. He aimed to keep it that way.

Like himself, Rangiku was rarely without a smile, though hers inspired more positive emotions in others than his did, and the mole beneath the right corner of her mouth accented her gorgeous grin perfectly.

His eyes drifted further down to the view of the sizeable valley Rangiku generously provided. As he allowed himself to admire her prodigious assets, he began to understand why virtually every person interested in the female form was drawn to this sight. That thought reminded Gin of his promise to her the other day, and he zipped his gaze back upwards.

Rangiku never allowed her hair to grow beyond her shoulders for practical reasons, and currently it only reached the bottom of her jaw. Her locks were a lovely shade of strawberry-blonde, straddling the color line between red and gold.

He decided that was where he would start complimenting her.

“Hey, Rangiku,” Gin spoke up.

“Yes, Gin?” she replied.

“Ya got real pretty hair.”

The silver-haired teen could not help but smirk in amusement at how Rangiku choked at his words and developed a lovely blush across her cheeks.

“W-what brought that on?” she asked nervously.

“I was just admirin’ ya now, and I realized I don’t ever recall tellin’ ya how much I like yer hair,” he replied. “So, I decided to let ya know now.”

“Oh. Well, um, thank you,” Rangiku’s cheeks reddened further as she ducked her head down and subconsciously brushed her bangs with her finger.

“My pleasure.”

If Gin knew how cute Rangiku was when flustered, he would have started flirting with her years ago.

* * *

_“Okay, if you want the_ whole _story told, then I’ll oblige,” Rangiku interjected with a mischievous, vengeful grin._

_“Fair ‘nough,” Gin resigned himself for the turnabout, and gestured for her to commence her narration._

* * *

Rangiku decided that if Gin wanted to flirt with her, she would flirt right back! She was Matsumoto Rangiku, the sexiest woman in the Seireitei, and was _not_ going devolve into a blushing, stammering mess just because someone offered her a compliment!

Even if that someone was Gin. Who was treating her with respect. And gave her sincere compliments. And made her heart flutter when she knew he was gazing at her in admiration and how good his hands had felt roaming her back and _she needed to focus not daydream!_

Thoughts returning to strategy, Rangiku knew that glimpses of skin and quick physical contact would not work on Gin like they did on most men. No, if she wanted to actually get the better of him, she needed to go all out in her seduction. A prospect that was utterly terrifying to her.

Still, she swore to herself that next time she saw Gin, _he_ would be the one struck speechless by her advances.

* * *

“Yer beautiful.”

A sentiment she had heard proclaimed countless times before from other sources without batting an eye, but when _he_ uttered them, her heart leapt in her chest.

“E-excuse me?” Rangiku asked, unable to stop her flustered response once again.

“Just thought it needed sayin’, that’s all,” Gin shrugged, his smile telling her he was deriving no small amusement at her embarrassment.

The strawberry-blonde swallowed as her heart raced from the fact that Gin found her beautiful. She was close to defeat once again, but this time she remembered her vow for payback.

“Well, I’m glad you’re finally noticing,” Rangiku managed to get her voice into a more seductive tone as she stood up.

Gin furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion and suspicion at the sudden change in her demeanor.

“I mean, _really_ ,” Rangiku’s confidence grew with each step she took towards her silver-haired target. “After all these years we’ve known each other, and you’ve waited this long on complimenting my appearance?”

“I’m mentionin’ it now,” his voice was still even and clear, though lacking its normal casual tone.

“True,” she nodded as she stopped in front of Gin far beyond the bounds of platonic friendship. Such a position was a clear invitation for him to glance down at her cleavage, but despite his eyelids being mere slits, Rangiku could _feel_ his gaze meeting hers. Thrilled by the eye contact, she reached out a hand and gently caressed up his arm and allowed, “I suppose it’s better late than never.”

His lips parted as if to reply, but no sound came out, and Rangiku was struck by the sudden urge to reach up and ensure his silence with a kiss.

Although she resisted the impulse to do something she didn’t feel she was _quite_ ready for just yet, a similar thought struck her.

“Despite your tardiness, _handsome_ ,” Rangiku purred the last word meaningfully. “Your compliments are _very_ appreciated.”

Before she could chicken out, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Gin’s cheek, lingering there for a moment.

Rangiku slowly pulled back enough to examine his reaction, and it took all her willpower to not burst out laughing.

Ichimaru Gin looked positively _stunned_. It was an expression so delicious she wanted to give him another kiss just to see if he’d outright shut down. Rangiku allowed a smirk to cross her lips that she hoped came across as more seductive than amused, and then turned around to leave.

“See you later, Gin,” she sang as she lifted a hand to wave good-bye behind her, making sure to put a little extra sway into her hips as she sashayed out of the room.

Despite being elated by her victory, Rangiku managed to walk calmly through the halls of the Eighth with a smug grin on her lips, and once she reached her quarters, she gently shut the door behind her.

_“YES!”_ Rangiku squealed triumphantly.

It was maddening how Gin would almost always be the one to get the last word in. She had managed to get a couple points in before, but today marked her grandest and most exciting victory over him yet.

If Rangiku knew how cute Gin was when flustered, she would have started flirting with him years ago.

* * *

_“Well done, Rangiku-chan,” Kyōraku raised his saucer of sake to the woman’s victory._

_“Thank you!” the triumphant temptress preened._

_“So, the score became three thousand five hundred seventy-six to five?” Kaien remarked with a smirk._

_“Shut up!”_

_“Now, now,” Ukitake defended the Eighth Division’s Third Seat. “At least her score is greater than the number of people who actually_ can _get the better of Ichimaru-fukutaich_ _ō.”_

_Rangiku’s eye twitched at the remark that was somehow simultaneously a genuine, sincere compliment and back-handed, faint praise. That was the captain of the Thirteenth Division for you._

* * *

Now that Rangiku knew it was possible for her to get one over on Gin in such a way, she couldn’t wait to do it again.

“Gin, I _really_ enjoyed that massage you gave me the other evening,” she cooed through half-lidded eyes. “Would it be too much to ask you for another round?”

Unfortunately, it seemed he had learned from their last encounter, and was prepared for her assault.

“If yer so eager to have my hands on you again, then I guess I’ll oblige,” the vice-captain agreed impishly.

Rangiku flushed at the thought, and nearly skedaddled as the prospects of such an encounter almost overwhelmed her, but she held her ground.

“I look forward to it,” she purred in genuine anticipation. And more than a little bit of nervousness. But mostly anticipation. “How about this evening after dinner? My quarters?”

“I think I can fit it into my schedule,” he agreed coyly.

“And to make it fair, I could return the favor after you’re done,” Rangiku offered impulsively.

An impulse that was rewarded by the slight pause Gin made before his eyes opened enough for her to clearly view his bright blue irises, and he answered, “I think I’d like that.”

She felt a shiver at the rare sight he gifted her with, and leaned closer to him as she returned coquettishly, “I’m sure you would.”

“Of course; I have ev’ry confidence in yer touch, Rangiku,” he uttered as he moved to do his part in closing the gap between them.

The Fifth Seat swallowed as she realized their bodies were now flush against each other, and she instinctively brought her arms up until they were around his neck, one hand resting on the back of his head.

In response, she felt his arms envelop her in a light embrace as they settled on her lower back.

Neither of them was backing down. Neither of them had any intention of doing so now.

The gap between their lips was becoming frighteningly and excitingly small. They hesitated only millimeters away from each other, not quite sure to take the final step yet.

* * *

_Several pairs of ears were paying rapt attention to their storyteller as Gin paused and took a sip from his saucer of sake._

_They waited for him to continue his tale._

_And waited._

_“Uh, aren’t you going to finish?” Nanao spoke up bashfully._

_“Why, Nanao-chan, you shouldn’t pry into the private affairs of your comrades,” Kyōraku chastised playfully._

_“I’m just asking the question we’re all thinking!” the petite bibliophile protested defensively._

_“She’s not wrong,” Ukitake supported the youth’s statement._

_“Y’all already know the rest, ‘cept fer the parts that ain’t yer business,” Gin shrugged._

_“Thank you, Gin, at least you have_ some _restraint,” Rangiku drawled half-sarcastically. She obviously was embarrassed by having the tale told, but seeing the looks of frustration on her friends’ faces did balance it out. Somewhat._

_“Wait, so you’re stopping right before you and Rangiku-kun’s first kiss?” Kaien demanded in half-frustration and half-amusement._

_“Yep.”_

_“You truly are a sadist.”_

_“Yep.”_

_“You sure you can’t finish for us?” Kyōraku wheedled. “You’re not just teasing us?”_

_“Do ya think I’m kiddin’?” Gin asked._

_“Yes?” the floral captain replied hopefully._

_“I’m not,” the trickster smirked._

_“Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it, Rangiku-kun?” Miyako consoled her fellow Third Seat._

_“Of course it was!” the new bride wailed melodramatically. “I’m supposed to be the infallible goddess of sexiness and beauty! And all through this, I acted like such a dork I needed romantic advice from_ Nanao-chan!”

_“I am so sorry you were cast from the heavens and forced to walk among us mere mortals,” the girl in question deadpanned._

_“Don’t worry, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, we won’t share the story with anyone else,” Ukitake reassured Rangiku._

_“Aw, and I wanted to send it in to_ Sereitei Communications _,” Kaien snapped his fingers in mock disappointment._

_“All right, if you like stories about how couples got together so much, let’s hear how you and Miyako-kun hooked up!” the Eighth’s Third Seat demanded._

_“It was no big deal; it was an arranged marriage I really lucked out on,” Kaien shrugged._

_“That’s not quite the whole story,” Miyako raised an amused eyebrow._

_“Of course it is! Our families matched us and we got married!”_

_“Don’t you remember the trial period they allowed us to become acquainted and confirm if we were a good match?”_

_“Oh, so you_ want _to share that?” Kaien grinned._

_“It’s only fair after we heard their story,” Miyako pointed out._

_“True.” He turned to their audience and said, “Okay, before we start, I want everyone’s vow of silence concerning this story.”_

_“Only if you do the same for us,” Rangiku countered._

_“Deal,” the elder lieutenant nodded._

_“Kaien, surely you don’t have to worry about it anymore,” Ukitake said. “I’m sure Yamamoto-sōtaichō has let the entire affair go by now…”_

_“Better safe than sorry. I’d rather he never links us to what happened.”_

_“You’ve_ really _got my attention now,” Gin’s smile switched to its Interested setting._

_“I’m suddenly unsure if I want to know now,” Nanao commented nervously._

_“Well, it_ started _normal enough…” Kaien began his narration._

* * *

_“Seems my plan to mortify the Shiba about their love life backfired spectacularly,” Rangiku pouted as they walked back to their quarters._

_“True, but we got quite the tale out of it, anyway,” Gin pointed out._

_“I suppose so,” she agreed. “I just never would have thought Miyako-kun would have done something like that…”_

_“Well, she was younger, and in love.”_

_“And that excuses everything,” Rangiku chuckled._

_“Yep.”_

_They reached their room, and after they had slid the door shut behind them, Rangiku gave a meaningful look to her husband as she said, “Remember right after our first kiss?”_

_“I remember ya bein’ all flushed and outta breath.”_

_“You weren’t exactly a picture of cool composure yourself, pal,” she riposted with a finger jabbing his chest. “Now think carefully before you answer again: do you remember after our first kiss?”_

_At the sight of Gin’s smirk, Rangiku dreaded another wisecrack, but relaxed when the curve of his lips softened into a more affectionate smile._

_“Yep.”_

* * *

They finally parted, and Rangiku bashfully ducked her head to lean into Gin’s chest.

“That good, huh?”

Glad her position prevented him from seeing her dopey smile, she playfully swatted the back of his head. The motion did nothing but earn a quick chuckle.

Despite his snark, the heavy breaths and the loud beating of his heart against his ribcage proved to Rangiku that Gin was hardly unaffected by their first kiss.

After a few more moments of them doing nothing more than holding each other, Gin broke the silence again.

“I guess this means we’re together now,” he noted.

“After a kiss like that, I certainly hope so,” Rangiku quipped in both trepidation and elation. More seriously, she asked, “So… how are we supposed do this?”

“I figure we jus’ act like we always have with each other, ‘cept with more huggin’ an’ kissin’.”

“Sounds like a plan,” she smiled as she snuggled closer to him.

They basked in each other’s presence for several more minutes before Gin spoke up again.

“Rangiku.”

She looked back up at his earnest tone. “Yes?”

“I wanna make a promise,” Gin stated. “A promise to always be by yer side, to take care of you, an’ to be with ya no matter what. Wanna hold me to it?”

Rangiku smiled, and replied, “Only on the condition you hold me to the same promise. Deal?”

His smile softened into something kind as he accepted with a simple, “Deal.”

The woman he loved gave a coy smirk as she suggested, “Shall we seal the deal with a kiss?”

“Only one?” he grinned back.

She decided the only proper response was to pull him down to her lips.

* * *

_“Love ya, Rangiku.”_

_“Love you, too, Gin.”_

* * *

**Author’s Note:** So, did you miss me?

First off, I want to reassure all my readers that I have not given up on continuing to write “A Grudge Not Held” into the “Thousand Year Blood War” arc. It’s still a (slow) work in progress, as for a while, my plan was to wait until “Bleach” was completed to start seriously working on it. However, for quite some time, it seemed like “Bleach” was not going to finish anytime soon, so I didn’t prioritize it beyond updating outlines and notes for the arc as new developments came up. And then “Bleach” ended so fast I got plot whiplash, and I suddenly realized how little I had seriously written on the last arc.

That brings me to a related issue: during its initial publication, I had elected to keep “A Grudge Not Held,” as an alternative to canon, nothing more than a simple “What If.” This meant I stuck close to the plot unless I found evidence the new timeline made an actual change (for better or worse, as a couple reviewers noticed). But from now on, due to the numerous issues I have with the final arc, I will aim to make things Better Than Canon. Of course, since I’ll be going in a different direction than in canon, that means it will take time for me to find out what this direction will be.

In short: the “Thousand Year Blood War” arc is in progress, and will take a while for me to complete. But rest assured, I will follow the same schedule as the first part: complete the whole thing, and then release chapters weekly. So, while you’re going to have to wait some time, at least you won’t be left hanging.

I also will be skipping the Fullbringer arc, as there was very little I could actually see being changed in this timeline. The only exception being Gin being the one to fight Yukio instead of Hitsugaya, and I didn’t think it worth writing a whole chapter just to show our favorite trickster tormenting the uppity Fullbringer. Maybe an omake, though…

About this chapter: I don’t know if any of you all picked up on it, but this is the first time in “A Grudge Not Held” which actually mentions Rangiku’s huge… tracts of land. It was a deliberate choice, as I notice too many authors will pay _too_ much attention to them. The only reason they come up in this chapter is because it was from the perspective of Gin as he’s realizing his attraction to Rangiku, and the fact of the matter is, being the shinigami equivalent of a teenage boy, her breasts are going to be one of the things he pays more attention to.

I would also like to take time to make a correction about something I spoke of in the previous author’s note. I said that people with Anti-Social Personality Disorder could be treated if the symptoms are discovered by adolescence. This was a mistake; the brain chemistry that determines ASPD is permanent and life-long even if caught at an early age.

Thanks to all who have reviewed since I last updated: **Love Psycho** , **Nnix Ame** , **Darksknight** , **La Rosa del Desierto** , **Higekimaru** , Aperson, calex, FatedFrost4, **karin37** , **FireLark** , **LoveGlutton** , **ChunkyFunkyMunky** , Vanna, **SirDuranix** , **Ryan Moon** , **YamiHikari001** , **mingxingxing** , **Black Wolf 101** , **Ghost Fire 6** , **knightessjg** , **wanderingmusician, Talos the Saiyan** , **Callian31** , **SlowMercury** , loving gin, **Souseiki, M.A.KH, silverqord, 123 anime, OTrizy** , and all anonymous guests.

And of course, many thanks to my beta **Tomas the Betrayer**.

Posted: August 21, 2017

* * *

**Omake: Shinigami Illustrated Guide**

The Winter War was over. The traitor Aizen was in prison. Soul Society was at peace. Yet as Yamamoto stood on the balcony of his office and gazed upon the Seireitei under his protection, he felt like he was forgetting something vitally important.

All his shinigami were healed up. Rules for annual cleaning had been written and delivered to his captains. All paperwork had been completed for the day. There were no more meetings scheduled until tomorrow. And most importantly, Sasakibe would arrive shortly with tea.

What was this irritating but unknown quantity nagging at his mind, alerting him of its presence but refusing to provide its identity?

Then the answer arrived in front of him in three different forms.

A line of buildings between the Third and Thirteenth Divisions began to collapse.

An explosion erupted near the Sixth Division, and it appeared to be suspiciously pink and flowery.

A mushroom cloud of smoke arose from the immediate vicinity of the Second Division.

After witnessing these acts of mass destruction with a throbbing vein in his forehead, it suddenly came to him: he needed to rescind the special wartime orders permitting captains to release their zanpakutō within the walls of the Seireitei, the one he had issued back when Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends had first invaded the Gotei 13. Without that restriction in place, Soul Society wouldn’t last a month intact.

Then again, given the amount of property damage that had just occurred _in spite_ of his specific instructions, he wondered if it would make any difference.

* * *

**AO3 Commentary:** While I wasn’t very confident in my skill in writing romance, I had fun writing this chapter, especially the parts where we see Gin off-kilter. It happens so rarely, but I figure even Gin isn’t immune to the charms of the pretty girl he’s in love with.

As for the omake, I wrote that one after watching “Bleach” again, and coming across the scene in the Soul Society arc when it’s revealed that Yamamoto had released restrictions on releasing swords, meaning captains could now fight with Shikai and Bankai (I think it was Byakuya and Ukitake). This implies that normally, captains are not allowed to release even Shikai except in emergency situations, and it occurred to me that I don’t think we ever saw Yamamoto put those restrictions back in place.

Again, I want to correct my 2017 self and reiterate that not only does Gin not qualify as a sociopath for reasons I stated in my commentary at the end of the previous chapter, research has shown that it is possible (albeit difficult) to treat those with ASPD, especially if caught early on.

Well, this is the last segment I have on my “A Grudge Not Held” storyline, so thank you all for reading this, and I hope that someday I will be able to continue this saga into the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

While I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, the fact that I’ve been working on moving this story to AO3 and recently started to re-watch “Bleach” has renewed my interest in continuing this story, as I hoped it would. Plus, the conversations I’ve had with people who have left comments has provided me with a lot to consider when writing it. And maybe this time, I’ll have enough drive to actually finish it and truly consider “A Grudge Not Held” complete.

Thanks to everyone who left kudos, and I appreciate Noiram ARDA and FETHJJ GYHHJ for their comments.


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